Pearly Gates vs Alnico 2 Pro

[Butch Snyder]

For those who have experience with them, what are the tonal differences between these two humbuckers?

 

[beaubrummels]

Pearly Gates is bright, but even and has some decent thump on the bottom end. Mine have been like a 59 with extended range. The neck is like the perfect PAF neck. Even, like a 59 without the tubby bottom end.

A2P has a pretty large, wide midrange hump to it. Seth has a lower mid honk, Brobucker has a higher mid chime/peak, the A2P has a mid hump that sweeps across both of those. It's PAF-ish in it's own way.

My experiences are all in Les Pauls and SGs, however. They could be different in other guitars, other woods, other scale necks.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I'd agree with beau. PG is bright and chimey with a solid bottom. I like it much, much better in the neck than a 59. The A2P is smoother, more mellow, not brilliant highs but they're not gone either, more mids...pretty even tonally.

Even though they're both A2 mag pups, they are very different sounding. Both great pups, just a bit different.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Thanks for the replies. I have an A2P neck humbucker in the neck position of one of my Telecasters. It's an ash body with a maple fretboard. Sounds great. I just bought a Pearly Gates neck model to instal in the neck position of another Telecaster; alder body, maple fretboard. Was curious about what I could expect.

 

[jeremy]

ill be curious what your thoughts are once you have the pgn installed. both cool pups

 

[jmh151]

I have the Slash set and Custom Shop Antiquity Pearly Gates.

Slash set sounds round and fat. Pearly is bright, cutting but with a smooth high end.

 

[Aceman]

Can't add much.

PG = a 59 with a little less bass, a little more treble. Upper mid spike gives it bight and brightness, A2 mag gives a sweet top end. Amazing neck pickup in a Les Paul in all the right ways.

A2P = Bass, and mids, with a fat high end. Much more even sounding and thicker than a PG. It's almost like DiMarzio made PAF output version of some of their more powerful buckers.

You can mix and match A2P's and PG's in all sorts of cool ways. I love the PG all around and one of my main Cadillacs has a PG set and another a PG neck. (Also have an A2P one for GnR purposes...)

In a bright guitar, I'd say an A2P will even it out. In a dark guitar, a PG will liven it up.

 

[idsnowdog]

The PG is like a PAF with laryngitis. Very bright with an almost single coil vibe. Very strong harmonics. The A2P is thick woolly and midrange centric with a raspy high end.

 

[Mincer]

A2P is like 2 giant sticks of butter. It is better for jazz than the Jazz, yet has a flutey gain sound. The PG has more high end, and is especially good in darker guitars.

 

[esandes]

A2P is like 2 giant sticks of butter. It is better for jazz than the Jazz, yet has a flutey gain sound. The PG has more high end, and is especially good in darker guitars.

That's good to know. I have a very dark sounding HB in my strat that I will consider changing to PG now. It's even wired with 500k pots...

 

[Benjy_26]

Slash vs the Rev Willie G when played in my LP. I go with the PG 99% of the time, even in Fenders.

 

[SFW]

PG will have more top end sting. The Slash version is closer to the PG. PG is one of my all time favorite Duncan pickups. The Slash is in my top five though.


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[Butch Snyder]

I should be receiving it tomorrow. I'll install it tomorrow evening and we'll see what we get. Looking forward to it.

 

[Ascension]

For those who have experience with them, what are the tonal differences between these two humbuckers?

BIG difference in the 2 pickup lines!
The Alnico II's are really smooth and sweet very fluid with a relatively soft attack. Really sweet smooth and warm pickup. Like these better in a brighter guitar with a 25.5 scale
The PG is very aggressive for the output level with a lot of attitude and a lot of dynamics. Can be really cool in the right guitar especially like these in Mahogany, KOA or Lemba set or neck through guitars in 24.75 or 25 scale. However find them pretty harsh and abrasive in Strat scale maple neck alder and ash body bolt on guitars in particular.

 

[Ascension]

A2P is like 2 giant sticks of butter. It is better for jazz than the Jazz, yet has a flutey gain sound. The PG has more high end, and is especially good in darker guitars.

Pretty much my take also and have used both pickups in guitars several times. Like the Alnico II better in brighter bolt on guitars the PG in darker set and neck through guitars.

 

[Aceman]

Slash vs the Rev Willie G when played in my LP. I go with the PG 99% of the time, even in Fenders.

I find the A2P to be wayyyyy more than Slash's now caricature tone that he is known for.

I also find it hard to suss out righteous Rev BG tones with a PG...but that's me, not the pups!

 

[Benjy_26]

I find the A2P to be wayyyyy more than Slash's now caricature tone that he is known for.

I also find it hard to suss out righteous Rev BG tones with a PG...but that's me, not the pups!

Does it do more than that one sound?

Absolutely, but it's ridiculously easy to fall into that tone with a APHn, a LP, and a hot Marshally amp.

As far as the PG...it must be a Texas thing.

 

[Mincer]

I find the A2P to be wayyyyy more than Slash's now caricature tone that he is known for.

I also find it hard to suss out righteous Rev BG tones with a PG...but that's me, not the pups!

This is true. I have the A2P in the neck of most of my guitars, and it doesn't sound anything like Slash.

 

[Aceman]

This is true. I have the A2P in the neck of most of my guitars, and it doesn't sound anything like Slash.

As stated - if you want to do that...pretty easy to nail.

I honestly prefer the PG's to the A2P's all around, but that's me.

 

[Benjy_26]

As stated - if you want to do that...pretty easy to nail.

I honestly prefer the PG's to the A2P's all around, but that's me.

Same. I do like the APHn a lot.

As a bridge pickup in a strat with vintage style singles in the neck and mid.